TACTICAL - "An approach taken to achieve a specific objective or to solve a specific problem"

TRAC provides a framework for the delivery of solutions to wireless network problems (and their wired network relationships).

REMOTE -"Situated at some distance away; operating or controlled from a distance"

TRAC gives you the resources of an experienced Connect802 engineer working from their desk with data, signal coverage maps, protocol analysis capture files, configuration files and documents that you've provided. Connect802 can work with you by setting up a remote control web conference session to interact in real time with your wireless LAN controller, router, visitor access gateway or other equipment and to participate in virtual conferencing with your team.

ANALYSIS - "The process of studying the nature of something or of determining its essential features and their relations"

TRAC services that Connect802 provide focus on isolating and describing a problem or evaluating and correlating data or information that you provide as part of a troubleshooting or network analysis effort.

CONSULTING -"To give professional expert advice or guidance"

TRAC services focus on providing you with answers or assessments of your data. You save the time and expense of having a Connect802 engineer dispatched to your site but you maintain the advantage of our experience and expertise.

Remote Support for Your Wireless
Network

When Connect802
designs and installs your Wi-Fi
wireless network you have options
for full, 24X7 end-user technical
support, remote network monitoring,
and remote system management, troubleshooting
and analysis. Our wireless LAN
support team can work remotely
with on-site technical support
to help keep your network and critical
systems up and running.

24X7 end-user
wireless LAN support can help users
who are having problems: complaining
of slow Internet connections; having
problems getting the iPhone or
other PDA device to connect to
the WLAN; trying to
get a VPN tunnel established; any
time of end-user support request.
You should contact Connect802 for
details about when these services
can be included as part of a complete
system sale.

Under
a Connect802
managed
service
contract,
an end-user
support
technician
is available
24X7. In
addition,
they are
monitoring
the status
of all
wireless
LAN equipment
including
switches,
servers
and routers.
Problems
that can't
be resolved
by the
help-desk
support
technician
are escalated
to a Connect802
RF engineer
and, when
possible,
it's one
of the
field engineers
who was
part of
the installation
team that
installed
the network.

Remote
Signal
Coverage
Assessment
and Real-Time
Location
ServicesThe status
of all
access
points,
their
signal
propagation
characteristics,
the connected
users
and their
locations
are all
tracked
remotely
for network
health
evaluation
and problem
resolution

Remote
monitoring
of your wireless
network includes
real-time
signal coverage
heatmaps
to confirm
that all
access points
and antennas
are doing
their job.
We can see
how many
users are
associated
to each access
point and
we can test
their TCP/IP
throughput
rate. When
"Bob" can't
connect to
the network
in Room 303
and "Susie"
is connected
without a
problem to
the same
access point
from Room
304 we gain
an understanding
that the
issue may
be related
to "Bob"
and not to
the network.

Remote
Equipment
Management,
Monitoring
and AdministrationEquipment,
including
access
points,
Ethernet
switches,
access
control
gateways
and
even
DSL
or
cable
modems
are
remotely
monitored,
managed
and
can
be
power-cycled
and
rebooted
if
necessary.

We specify
equipment
for the wireless
LAN infrastructure
that allows
us to remotely
monitor and
power-cycle
devices as
required.
Using managed
UPS power supplies,
Power-over-Ethernet
switches
for the access
points (and
surveillance
cameras)
and remote
110VAC power-cycle
units for
routers,
servers,
controllers
and even
for the switches
themselves
we can do
a remote
reboot of
any device
that is not
responding
or is in
a questionable
state.

Centralized
management
software
provides
visibility
into the
operational
status of
the network.
Systems can
be designed
with simple
real-time
management
or to provide
detailed
historical
reporting
on the network.
Of course,
device firmware
upgrades
and configuration
are centrally
controlled.
Our off-site
engineers
can login
to on-site
controllers
to perform
any network
management
task remotely.

There are numerous Ethernet and wireless protocol analyzers in use that serve as test and analysis troubleshooting tools for wired 802.3 Ethernet LAN's as well as 802.11 wireless LAN's. Connect802 Corporation can also make specialty protocol analyzers and other analysis and monitoring test equipment and remote probes available as part of a Connect EZ Platinum Turnkey Wireless LAN Bundle or as a single-item sale. Wireless networking data packets can be captured, decoded, and categorized for network troubleshooting, analysis, security auditing, and capacity planning.

Even with the advanced expert system technology that many of these tools provide it's still common for a network support engineer to look at the output and be unsure as to what all the cryptic information really means. To maximize the investment in protocol analysis equipment and software Connect802 provides the Tactical Remote Analysis Consulting (TRAC) service. With TRAC you capture packet traces using a wireless protocol analysis tool. Connect802 can provide these types of analysis tools or in many cases they may already be available. The trace files are then sent in for evaluation by our engineers. You receive a report detailing our findings and we'll work with you to understand what's happening in your 802.11 environment. The TRAC service can be used for wired Ethernet protocol analysis as well. Challenging network problem? We've got you covered!

How Do You Submit a TRAC Service Request?

Purchase TRAC remote analysis service from Connect802

An engineer will call you to discuss your network problem and explain what type of data needs to be captured. You'll go over issues including signal measurement settings for wireless coverage measurement or switch port mirroring and filter settings for your packet analyzer

Use the Connect802 on-line submission system to upload your files (maximum 640 MB) along with a description of what is contained in each file to Connect802

After we assess your data we'll discuss our findings with you. We'll probably have questions about what we're seeing and you'll want to know what's happening at the packet-level or relative to signal coverage, signal-to-noise ratio or other details.

We'll prepare a brief report detailing the issues we've uncovered and send it back to you (or, the information will be correlated and included in a Connect EZ Predictive RF CAD Design or Connect EZ Consulting Report).

After you've reviewed the report you may have additional questions which we're happy to discuss

Connect802 and the Protocol Analysis Industry

At Connect802 we are part of the history of the protocol analysis industry. Anita Lenk, VP of Operations and Director of Training at Connect802 was closely involved with the first industry-wide protocol analysis certification program (the Certified Network Expert / CNX certification) in the early 1990's. Joe Bardwell, Chief Scientist and President at Connect802 was selected as one of the "Service 25", a listing of 25 key, influential people in the computer service industry in 1993 for his work on standardizing protocol analysis experience criteria, also with the CNX initiative. He went on to establish the Network Analysis Expert (NAX) program for protocol analysis certification in 2002. The Connect802 team worked under contract with WildPackets, Inc. as they developed the AiroPeek NX wireless protocol analyzer and the NAX (Network Analysis Expert) protocol analysis professional certification. They also contracted to MircoTest (now part of Fluke) to serve as subject matter experts for new network analysis tool development. We have developed protocol analysis training materials for many of the major analysis tool vendors and we continue to provide expert analysis and troubleshooting consulting services across the country.

When Considering the Protocol Analysis Process

The term "protocol analysis" refers to the capture and analysis of individual data packets using a protocol analyzer. The protocol analyzer provides a decoded explanation of the fields and data elements inside each packet/frame on the Ethernet or wireless network and a consulting engineer then assesses the behavior of the communicating devices to isolate and describe problems.

802.11 WLAN security auditing and intruder isolation

Connectivity problems with multiple SSIDs or VLANs

Clients or servers that are not operating properly

Protocol analyzer consulting for throughput or connectivity problems

Security issues and exposed proprietary or private data

Network slowdowns and causes of user complaints

General assessment of network health through protocol analyzer consulting

The TRAC Value Proposition

You either have an issue that is deemed appropriate for remote analysis, you've captured network management information and you want "another set of eyes" to go over it, or you're focusing on reducing the costs and time commitment that would be associated with scheduling an on-site engagement.

How you will decide that TRAC Wi-Fi wireless LAN remote troubleshooting and analysis provides the best solution:

The engineering team at Connect802 are experts and remote network analysis. We utilize the same professional methods for remote configuration and screen-sharing that are used by major software and hardware companies across the country. We know how to conceptualize the realities of your network through assessment of your valid data and help you reduce the costs associated with an on-site consulting engagement.

The key deciding factors in favor of using Tactical Remote Analysis Consulting are 1) you're dealing with a situation that allows you to capture network information and upload it (as opposed to situations that demand an on-site presence) and 2) you're focusing on reducing project costs.

Where you will see the greatest value with TRAC remote network consulting:

TRAC can be a valuable addition to a larger project. For example, if Connect802 provides 802.11 Wi-Fi wireless design and consulting services for your wireless network project and, weeks later, changes in firewall policies result in problems - a quick protocol analysis trace file capture sent to Connect802 may let us immediately recognize the problem on the basis of our previous knowledge of your network. While TRAC services are an excellent way to address a new wireless LAN troubleshooting issue they have their greatest value when they're used in conjunction with a complete design and consulting project.

When you are ready to buy a TRAC Tactical Remote Analysis solution:

Are you ready to take advantage of Connect802's remote wireless LAN analysis, troubleshooting and performance assessment capabilities using Tactical Remote Analysis Consulting? Just call Connect802 and tell the receptionist the state from which you're calling. You'll be transferred to the regional sales representative for your area that will give you all the details.

You may already have a wireless network protocol analyzer. You're going to need analysis and monitoring capabilities to capture data files for use with TRAC. If you don't have an analyzer, we recommend that you buy AirMagnet from Connect802. Below you'll find a number of FREE DOWNLOADS, available on the Internet, and other products that can also be used in conjunction with TRAC services.

No packet analyzer on the market today is better able to help you isolate, describe, and solve 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi wireless network problems. The AirMagnet Laptop Analyzer captures data traveling in the air across a Wi-Fi wireless LAN and both decodes and charts metrics for individual conversations but analyzes the conversations in real-time using the AirWise expert system engine.

The AirMagnet product line starts with "AirMagnet Laptop", a sophisticated 802.11a/b/g/n protocol analyzer with an artificial intelligence expert system called AirWise that identifies, isolates, and describes complex low-level packet behavior. The AirMagnet Laptop Analyzer is part of an advanced suites of products that provide detailed "heat map" coverage measurements, planning, and full, distributed intrusion detection and prevention. In addition, the AirWise Expert System generates regulator compliance reports (HIPAA, FIPS, etc). and complete historical performance metrics and graphs.

YOU CAN BUY THE AIRMAGNET LAPTOP ANALYZER AND ALL THE OTHER AIRMAGNET SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE OPTIONS DIRECTLY FROM CONNECT802

NetStumbler WLAN Detector and Signal Monitor

NetStumbler is provided at no cost and without warranty. It is a tool for Windows that allows you to detect 802.11 networks that can be detected by most notebook computer WLAN adapters. As reported in the NetStumbler release notes, some 802.11 chipsets and drivers will report inaccurate signal strength values. A compatibility list is provided on-line.

NOTE: Although NetStumbler is a convenient, free product is is not suitable for use as a professional RF site survey tool on which a commercial Wi-Fi design will be based. While Connect802 will occasionally utilize NetStumbler to make very general "go/no-go" signal coverage determinations, other monitoring tools are always employed for final dBm coverage measurement and fee-based on-site survey work.

Using only your notebook computer's 802.11 Wi-Fi adapter, WiFi Hopper will allow you to measure dBm RSSI signal strength with a Current/Best/Lowest/Average tabular presentation. The Connection Manager feature will allow you to specify the access point (and not just the SSID) to which you want to associate. This gives you the ability to PING or iPerf test to a distant access point instead of arbitrarily connecting to the "best" (i.e. closest) access point.

You'll use WiFi hopper to measure signal strength in your environment, perform propagation and attenuation testing, and save the data tables which can then be submitted to Connect802 through our on-line submission system for TRAC analysis.

WiFi Hopper is a WLAN utility that combines the features of a Network Discovery and Site Survey tool with a Connection Manager. The software download provides a 15 day feature complete trial after which WiFi Hopper will continue to measure dBm RSSI signal strength and tabulate the results but the connection manager features will be disabled.

Additionally, WiFi Hopper can connect to unsecured, WEP, WPA-PSK and WPA2-PSK networks directly from within the application. With editable network profiles and dedicated Connection Manager execution mode, WiFi Hopper can be used as a significantly more transparent replacement for Windows and manufacturer-provided wireless clients.

WiFi Hopper encompasses a feature set aimed for a wide variety of audiences including Wireless Network Administrators, Security Professionals, Programmers, QA Engineers and Power Users.

Click the button to the left to Download the open-source Wireshark software at no cost under the GNU General Public License. Using only your notebook computer's Ethernet adapter, Wireshark can be connected to a mirror-port on the Layer 2 switch to which an 802.11 access point (or other wireless radio device) is attached. Mirrored traffic is captured by Wireshark and submitted to Connect802 through our on-line submission system for tactical analysis by our protocol analysis experts. If you have purchased an AirPcap USB wireless adapter (see next item discussed below) you can capture directly from the 802.11b/g/n 2.4 GHz wireless environment.

REMEMBER: The analysis of protocol-level behavior is an engineering skill that is developed through training, personal study, and practical field experience. Wireshark is intuitive for engineers who have prior experience using protocol analysis software. Connect802 can arrange a 2-hour on-line webinar to provide new users of Wireshark with a basic orientation and explanation of how to capture trace files for use with the Connect802 TRAC service.

Wireshark is the world's foremost network protocol analyzer, and is the de facto (and often de jure) standard across many industries and educational institutions. Wireshark development thrives thanks to the contributions of networking experts across the globe. It is the continuation of a project that started in 1998.

Wireshark has a rich feature set which includes the following:

Deep inspection of hundreds of protocols, with more being added all the time

Decryption support for many protocols, including IPsec, ISAKMP, Kerberos, SNMPv3, SSL/TLS, WEP, and WPA/WPA2

Coloring rules can be applied to the packet list for quick, intuitive analysis

Output can be exported to XML, PostScript®, CSV, or plain text

AirPcap 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN Packet Capture Solutions

The AirPcap USB Adapter
Allows Capturing 802.11 Packets

The AirPcap family is the first open, affordable and easy-to-deploy packet capture solution for Windows. All of the AirPcap offerings capture full 802.11 data, management, and control frames that can be viewed in Wireshark thereby providing in-depth protocol dissection and analysis capabilities. Per packet information is also available, such as power, hardware timestamps (in microseconds), and receive rate.

The AirPcap Adapter family includes
802.11b/g and 802.11n options for 2.4
GHz and 5 GHz capture. Connect802 is
your authorized AirPcap reseller.

Targeted Discussion Related to Wireless and Wired Network Protocol Analysis and the Application of Signal Coverage Measurement Tools for 802.11 WLAN Troubleshooting and Support

You'll find numerous Web references related to wireless LAN network protocol analysis. Below are some targeted discussions to provide you with additional perspective on how signal coverage measurement and protocol analysis can be implemented to meet your requirements for troubleshooting, post-installation verification, and wireless LAN maintenance.

What Will Packet-Level Protocol Analysis Do For Me?

Using a packet-level protocol analyzer the analysis engineer can look inside individual data packets that are being transmitted across the network. As seen in the picture to the right, packet details expose the internal information being exchanged between communicating devices.

By studing the contents of packets and the flow of conversations between processes running in the transmitting and receiving devices the engineer can draw conclusions regarding the 'correctness' of the behavior.

Configuration problems and software bugs are quickly identified. Of perhaps greater significance, when a conversation is operating with a normal exchange of commands, replies and data and then the conversation suddenly stops it's a clear indication that the problem is related to network hardware or the transmission medium (i.e. noise or interference in 802.11 wireless) as opposed to being anything that can be cured by configuring the software.

Connect802 - Leading the Way in Protocol Analysis Engineering

When you're looking for the leading provider of network and application analysis consulting and troubleshooting solutions for today's complex networks you'll find that Connect802 has the experience and expertise you need to isolate and describe problems and provide answers when other remain confused.

Connect802 can help when you're trying to troubleshoot your network connection and you can't figure out whether manual options and local configuration settings are a problem, whether the network infrastructure is at fault, or if the problem lies in the wireless network access point, gateway or router. When 802.11 Wi-Fi wireless LANs slow down and you're trying to solve WLAN throughput and capacity problems it's the analysis of packet-level behavior that will reveal problems and provide remedies for common network issues - and uncommon ones as well!

Connect802 has the true experience and expertise to provide on-site as well as remote protocol analysis expertise for your network troubleshooting and packet-level analysis needs. We sell network analysis tools. Our TRAC service provides remote trace file analysis as a consulting service without requiring an on-site consulting visit. You capture a packet-level protocol analyzer trace file using your analysis tool (AirMagnet, SnifferPRO Ethernet and WLAN protocol analyzer, EtherPeek, EtherPeek NX Ethernet protocol analyzer, AiroPeek, AiroPeek NX wireless network analyzer, Ethereal, and more!) A Connect802 RF engineering or 802.3 Ethernet protocol analysis expert will characterize the network behavior and give you a report of the performance issues, oversubscribed circuits, network capacity planning issues, and protocol problems. We can help you locate problems on your wireless network and your wired Ethernet LAN. Your network will have optimum performance and we'll take the time to discuss analysis methods and specific issues related to your capture file with your network support and network management team. Remote consulting, remote trace file analysis, and the expert network engineers at Connect802 add valuable resources to your network support and network management arsenal. You may be using distributed network analysis tools like the AirMagnet Sensor, WildPackets RF Grabber, or ..... to capture and analyze trace files. From these files you may be using reporting tools to generate reports that present a unified representation of the trace data. At this point you can trust that Connect802 can help you make sense out of the multiple views of a single report wherein you can compare and analyzer multiple trace files. In this day of worldwide Internet connectivity there's no longer a need to have a consultant dial-in to your analyzer - we can work with you in real-time over the Internet. The distributed packet analysis offers advanced capture capabilities whether you're using collocated equipment or remote probes (or SNMP probes, too!) Connect802 also provides educational services, training, and protocol analysis explanations at the packet-level. Packet trace analysis becomes straightforward when you understand our methodology for isolating and describing problems.

An Excerpt
from Wikipedia:

Network management
refers to the activities, methods,
procedures, and tools that pertain
to the operation, administration,
maintenance, and provisioning of
networked systems.

Operation deals with keeping the
network (and the services that the
network provides) up and running
smoothly. It includes monitoring
the network to spot problems as soon
as possible, ideally before users
are affected.
Administration deals with keeping
track of resources in the network
and how they are assigned. It includes
all the "housekeeping" that
is necessary to keep the network
under control.
Maintenance is concerned with performing
repairs and upgrades—for example,
when equipment must be replaced,
when a router needs a patch for an
operating system image, when a new
switch is added to a network. Maintenance
also involves corrective and preventive
measures to make the managed network
run "better", such as adjusting
device configuration parameters.
Provisioning is concerned with configuring
resources in the network to support
a given service. For example, this
might include setting up the network
so that a new customer can receive
voice service.
A common way of characterizing network
management functions is FCAPS—Fault,
Configuration, Accounting, Performance
and Security.

Data for network management is collected
through several mechanisms, including
agents installed on infrastructure,
synthetic monitoring that simulates
transactions, logs of activity, sniffers
and real user monitoring. In the
past network management mainly consisted
of monitoring whether devices were
up or down; today performance management
has become a crucial part of the
IT team's role which brings about
a host of challenges—especially
for global organizations.

Discussions related to network analysis and troubleshooting
can be found on the Web with the following references: